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Relationship Between Blue Nile & Egyptian Nile

The African river known as the Blue Nile is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile. Until the 20th century, the Blue Nile was the cause of the annual floods that helped create ancient Egyptian civilization.

Course
- The 1,000 mile Blue Nile originates from Lake Tana in Ethiopia. It flows south from the Lake Tana region before flowing west across Ethiopia and entering Sudan. In Sudan flows northwest toward the city of Khartoum, where it joins the White Nile to form the Nile River.
Significance
- About 2/3 of the Nile's water originates with the Blue Nile. Until the completion of the Aswan Dam in 1970, the Blue Nile caused annual flooding.
History
- The annual floods deposited silt on the river banks. This silt retained moisture better than the red dirt from the surrounding desert and was excellent fertilizer for grain. The Nile was so important to the ancient Egyptians that they deified it as the well-nourished, blue-skinned god Hapi.

Nature